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Indian States
Information Pondicherry Union Territory of India - Pondicherry
History Remnants of an ancient port town
have been excavated at Arikamedu, 6 kms from Pondicherry. These indicate
that the town had trade connections with Rome and Greece around the period
100 BC to 100 AD. Pondicherry continued to flourish even during the Chola
period, as the discovery of the Chola coins from the eleventh and twelfth
centuries indicate. Fast Facts of Pondicherry
Places to Interest : Sri Aurobindo Ashram Established by Sri Aurobindo, a revolutionary turned poet, and later developed by the Mother, a Paris-born painter musician who became Sri Aurobindo's disciple and close companion, the Ashram has grown into a centre for the practice of Integral Yoga, a seat of learning and a training ground for sadhana. In the main building of the Ashram is the Marble Samadhi where Aurobindo and the Mother have been laid to rest. Promenade The 1.5 km long promenade running along the beach is the pride of Pondicherry. On the sea front are several landmarks: the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Jeanne d'Arc and Dupleix, the elegant war memorial raised by the French, the heritage building Mairie, the 27 metre tall old lighthouse, the circular shaped two storied structures on either side of Gandhi maidan. The Pondicherry Museum The Museum brings back memories of the glorious past of Pondicherry, from the days of the pre-Christian era down to the present day, providing glimpses of the art and culture of the people of this region during the Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar days. Artefacts from the excavations at Arikamedu can be viewed here. Auroville Located 10 kms north of Pondicherry, Auroville is described as "the City of Tomorrow". Auroville was envisioned as a Universal Town, where people from different nationalities, faiths and beliefs, can live in peace and harmony. Here, an attempt is being made to replicate, on much larger scale, the experiment being carried out in Sri Aurobindo Ashram for the evolution of a new society as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. This society would be one where people "live freely as citizens of the world, obeying one single authority - that of the Supreme Truth ... a place of peace, concord, harmony". The construction of Auroville was started in 1968, under the Mother's direction. Several countries have set up pavilions here. The Botanical Garden The Botanical Garden in Pondicherry was created in 1826. When the garden came under the control of the eminent botanist Perottet "rare and interesting plants" were procured from Calcutta, Madras, Ceylon and Reumian. Its' collection numbers 1500 species. Temples There are about 32 temples in Pondicherry. Of these, Manakula Vinayagar temple, Sri Vedapureeswarar temple, Kamatchiammalle temple and Varadarajaperumal temple are famous. The Gokilambal Thirukameswarar Temple is architecturally the best. A rath yatra (temple car procession) takes place in May/June. Churches French missionary zeal in the XVII and XVIII Centuries saw a number of grandly embellished churches built in Pondicherry. The Church of the Capuchins was the first one built and the old only one to survive the destruction of the town in 1761. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception built in 1791 has interesting ornamental features. The Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus (has excellent stained glass windows), the Cathedral, the Eglise de Notre Dame A'es Angles are particularly noteworthy. Anglo-French textile mills This mill, established over 100 years ago, is still functioning and an ideal place to buy souvenirs and gifts. Mansion of Ananda Rangapillai He was a courtier of the French Governor, Dupleix, and the mansion is a fine specimen of Indo-French architecture. Chunnambar Water Sports Centre Facilities for boating are available at the Boat House on the River Chunnambar, 8 kms from Pondicherry. The backwater and the lush greenery on both sides of Chunnambar provide an ideal setting. Boats are available on hire on all days of the week. |
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The origin of this erstwhile French
colony is buried in legends. According to one view, the town was once called
Vedapuri, and was a seat of Vedic culture and the abode of Sage Agastya.
Professor Jonvean Dubrouil, the French archaeologist, believes that the
Ashram of Agastya stood on the very spot where the main building of the Sri
Aurobindo Ashram stands today.